1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display panel. More particularly, the present invention relates to a plasma display panel which can prevent a dummy address electrode from being damaged during a manufacturing process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plasma display panels are flat display panels that form an image using a gas discharge phenomenon. Plasma display panels can be used to provide a large screen having a high picture quality that is thin and has a wide viewing angle. Thus, there is much interest in plasma display panels.
These plasma display panels include first and second substrates, which face each other and are spaced apart by a predetermined gap, barrier ribs defining a discharge cell disposed between the first and second substrates, a discharge gas filling the discharge cell, a phosphor coating the surface of the discharge cell, and electrodes. The electrodes include a plurality of sustain electrode pairs on the first substrate and a plurality of address electrodes on the second substrates. The address electrodes extend across the sustain electrode pairs and the discharge cell. When a direct current (DC) or an alternating current (AC) is applied to the electrodes, discharge occurs in the discharge cell, causing the discharge gas to emit ultraviolet (UV) light, thereby exciting the phosphor to emit visible light, thus forming an image.
Plasma display panels are divided into a display region, in which an image is displayed, and a non-display region, in which an image is not displayed. Dummy barrier ribs and a dummy address electrode are disposed in the non-display region. Dummy barrier ribs prevent an edge effect of discharge non-uniformity. The dummy address electrode is an end of the address electrode that protrudes from the outermost dummy barrier rib of the dummy barrier ribs.
A dielectric layer is typically coated on the electrodes, and then the barrier ribs are formed on the dielectric layer in a separate step during manufacture of a conventional plasma display panel. Thus, the dummy address electrode, which does not have the barrier ribs formed thereon, is covered only with the dielectric layer during formation of the barrier ribs. Therefore, the dummy address electrode is affected by processes required for the subsequent formation of the barrier ribs. In other words, the dielectric layer is insufficient to protect a portion of the dummy address electrode adjacent to the dummy barrier ribs during processes used for forming the barrier ribs, e.g., drying, sandblasting and firing, and the portion is easily damaged.